1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the setting of downhole tools in a well. More particularly, the invention relates to an intelligent electric wireline setting tool having a plurality of sensors directed to sense parameters relevant to the setting of the tool to be set.
2. Prior Art
Electric wireline setting tools (EWST) have been known to at least the oil and gas industry for some time. A conventional EWST, however, is typically employed to set inflatable downhole apparatuses by receiving power from a power source and pumping wellbore fluids into the inflatable apparatus without any confirmation or sensory information. While the system is simple and works well in the great majority of cases, the only information that can be gained at the surface regarding the condition and operation of the system is a change in the current drawn from the power source. Typically, a current increase indicates a strain on the pump which is usually related to a filled inflatable tool. This is because as the pressure in the inflatable tool increases the motor will begin to stall. More current will be drawn to drive the stalled or stalling motor. Unfortunately, the change in current could also be due to other circumstances which cannot be distinguished at the surface.
The prior art, based upon the increased current draw, must conclude that the inflatable element is ready for deployment, providing all portions of the system, in fact, performed as they were supposed to, the inflatable tool would indeed be inflated and properly set.
Returning to other causes of current draw, a short may have occurred somewhere in the system, the motor or pump may have malfunctioned, the tool may have an occluded fluid passage, etc. Any one of these, or other factors, can cause a higher current draw. Since line current is the only indicator, the operator will determine the inflatable tool is set and pull the setting tool out of the hole. If the inflatable tool had not properly set then clearly the objective was not met. Moreover, it is not clear when the operator will know that the inflatable tool did not set. It could be right away or it could be somewhat later (maybe when the inflate crew has left the area). Time is lost and expense is incurred. Moreover, if the lack of proper setting of the inflatable tool is not immediately recognized, significant damage may be done to other components of the well; even more time and money can be lost. It is also possible, due to such occurrences as a lack of prime or a leak in the system that the current never increases. While this does not provide an erroneous xe2x80x9csetxe2x80x9d indication it is still problematic because there is no indication as to what is happening downhole. The art therefore is in need of a setting tool which provides real time information about the condition of the inflatable tool and the condition of the setting tool to ensure a proper setting procedure is taking place and to enable corrective action if the setting procedure has gone awry.
The above-identified drawbacks of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by the intelligent electric wireline setting tool of the invention.
The intelligent EWST incorporates a controller and at least one, preferably several, sensor(s) to sense such parameters as voltage and current flowing to motors, direction of movement of the motors, speed of the motors, pressure (element pressure, wellbore pressure, downhole and uphole thereof), temperature, flow rate, or any other parameter associated with the downhole environment and setting of the tool. All of these parameters are communicable directly to the surface due to the inclusion of a communication function through the controller located in the immediate vicinity of the EWST. Based upon the information obtained, adjustments to the setting process may be made to optimize the same. Adjustments include changing current and/or voltage to assure appropriate power downhole, and determining and making appropriate inflation fluid pressure and inflation fluid volume changes taking into account thermal expansion of fluid in the downhole environment. Adjustments may be made by the operator, by a surface computer or a downhole computer as desired and equipped. Corrective measures can be made in real time to avoid loss of time or money.